Hello Christine, There were only two full battalions of the South Lancs which served in South Africa. The1st Battalion (regulars) arrived in South Africa just before Christmas 1899 and served in the campaign to relieve Ladysmith, two of the eight companies being in action at Spion Kop. The 1st served throughout the war. The 3rd Battalion (Militia) arrived in 1900 and some were converted to Mounted Infantry while others mainly served as garrison troops, on lines of communications or on blockhouse duties. Your grandfather could have served in either battalion. Although the clasps on his Queen's South Africa Medal (QSA) don't disclose his specific service they indicate that he was a later arrival. The Transvaal clasp denotes general service in Transvaal although the absence of a Cape Colony clasp suggests he arrived in SA via Durban. After June 1900 Natal was no longer considered to be a war zone and the Natal clasp was not issued for subsequent service there. The SA 1901 & 1902 clasps indicate that he served less than 18 months in SA up to the end of the war on 31/5/1902. If he had served 18 months or more he would also have received the King's South Africa Medal (KSA) with the date clasps on that and just Transvaal on his QSA. It seems likely that he arrived some time in 1901 and served until the end of the war although he could have arrived in late 1900 and returned to the UK in early 1902. He would have volunteered for service in the army and been attested into the South Lancs. Men didn't necessarily join their local regiments although they generally had some degree of choice. Although he was originally from Essex perhaps he was living or working in the Lancashire/Cheshire area when he enlisted. He must have lived locally if he was in the 3rd Battalion as the Militia was a locally recruited part time organisation only called out in time of emergency. He may have had a friend or relative in the regiment. The casualty list shows 5679 Pte. S. Knowles 3/South Lancs died of disease at Naauwpoort (now Noupoort in the Eastern Cape) 22/4/1900. Perhaps he was a relative. You could get a researcher to check for his attestation and service papers in series WO 97 for regular soldiers and WO 96 for Militia. Not all these have survived, however, as a proportion were destroyed in an air raid in WW2. Regards, David ----- Original Message ----- From: Chris & Ron <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2003 2:33 AM Subject: [BOER-WAR] South Lancashire Regiment > Happy New Year to the List > > I am a new subscriber to the list , and am looking for some help fro the > experts that I know are out there . > My grand father was Leonard Thomas knowles who originated from Stanford Le > Hope in Essex, born 1882. > according to a diary that he kept he went to the Boer war with the South > Lancashire Regiment as a Sgt number 6037.He has 1901 bar, 1902 bar also the > Transvaal clasp and the silver Queen Victoria medal > > What I am hoping to find out is how he would have become attached to the > South Lancs Regiment? > What was their involment in the Transvaal > What is the significance of the 2 bars. > > He was married in the Kolar Gold Fields in 1908 and led quite a > distinguished career with the police force until he retired in 1948 and > returned to Gravesend in Kent until he passed away in 1956. > Unfortunately like a lot of family history this was not spoken about and i > am trying to bring my family history together for my daughters, so they may > have interesting reading in latter years. > > Any help would be most appreciated. > Cheers from Christine in Australia